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Vol. 75/No. 12      March 28, 2011

 
England: Youth confront
rightist anti-Muslim action
 
BY CAROLINE BELLAMY
AND ANDRÉS MENDOZA  
ROCHDALE, Lancashire, England—A couple hundred people confronted an anti-Muslim rally of some 500 here March 5. The rally was organized by the rightist English Defence League (EDL). Many of those at the counterdemonstration, organized by the Muslim Defence League, were students from the local area on their first demonstration.

Under the banner of opposition to “radical Islam,” the EDL has carried out a campaign against Muslim immigrants. When the rightist group organized a rally in Stoke-on-Trent last year, EDL thugs vandalized a mosque and threatened Asian cab drivers, effectively shutting down taxi service for five hours.

Haseeb Sheikh, 16, told the Militant why he had started the Muslim Defence League. “I went on a demo against the EDL in Manchester in 2009,” he said. “We didn’t see many Muslims or Asians there. That’s why we decided to set up the MDL. We have a right to stand up, to defend our communities. Our slogan is ‘United we stand, divided we fall.’”

Students Ammara Mir and Juwiriyyah Karim came from Bradford, 22 miles away. “It’s important for Muslim women to be on the front line alongside our brothers,” Mir said. “There is pressure from the elders to stay away, but the EDL is attacking us. Someone pulled my hijab off me in the street.”

The next counterdemonstration against the EDL will be held in Blackburn, Lancashire, April 2.
 
 
Related articles:
Indiana students protest anti-immigrant bill
Imprisoned refugees fight for freedom, asylum in Australia  
 
 
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